A/HRC/44/15 35. Tunisia commended Kiribati for its efforts to promote human rights, and for its institutional and legal support to combat gender-based violence and to promote inclusive education. 36. With regard to the acceptance of international norms, the delegation reported that during the third review, Kiribati had progressed further by acceding to the Convention against Torture, making a total of four ratified conventions. The prospect of ratifying other human rights conventions in the future would depend primarily on the combined fulfilment of three criteria: the urgings of the global community to bring all its members on board to combat a serious threat facing all humanity; the ability of a country to afford the costs involved in the performance of its obligations on a sustainable basis; and whether the convention in question reflected an existing need of a significant portion of the population. 37. In the delegation’s view, the Kiribati National Human Rights Task Force, set up in 2014, was the closest form of a national human rights institution that the country had. Initially under the coordination of the Ministry of Women, Youth and Social Affairs, in 2018 it had been transferred to the then newly established Ministry of Justice. Its core functions included the overseeing and coordination of the implementation of the Government’s obligations under the conventions, to which Kiribati was party, and the overseeing of the drafting of progress reports regarding implementation. The secretariat to the Task Force was the Human Rights Division of the Ministry of Justice. 38. In the area of non-discrimination, the delegation highlighted the establishment of an association called BIMBA, initially consisting of gay persons, with membership open to all other gay and lesbian persons. While the Government supported their freedom of association to pursue happiness in their own way, it considered that the country was not yet ready to decriminalize homosexuality or allow same-sex relationships. 39. Ukraine noted the ratification of Optional Protocols to the Convention on the Right of Child and to the Convention against Torture. It recognized steps in the field of disaster risk management and the country’s leadership in the sphere of climate change, including through the Coalition of Low-lying Atoll Nations on Climate Change and the Alliance of Small Island States. 40. The United Kingdom welcomed the country’s engagement with the United Nations human rights system, despite capacity constraints. It commended Kiribati for recent ratifications of human rights treaties, while encouraging Kiribati to reduce the reporting backlog. While noting the country’s efforts to prevent gender-based violence, it considered them inadequate. It welcomed the opportunity to work with Kiribati on scoping a national human rights institution via the South Pacific Community’s Pacific Commonwealth Equalities Programme. 41. The United States commended Kiribati on its July 2019 accession to the Convention against Torture. 42. Uruguay welcomed the country’s efforts to address the problem of violence against children, adolescents and women. Uruguay congratulated Kiribati for the approval and development of the National Action Plan (2011–2021) to combat sexual and gender-based violence, as well as for the adoption of the Gender Equality and Women Development Policy (2019–2022). 43. Vanuatu applauded Kiribati for expanding the scope of the draft act on disaster risk management and climate change to include the needs and priorities of vulnerable populations such as women and young people. It welcomed the ratification of the Convention against Torture, the recognition of gender equality by putting in place the Gender Equality and Women Development Policy in 2019 and the launch of the National Development Plan 2016–2019. 44. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela welcomed the country’s strategies in disaster risk management and in the protection of its population from climate change impacts. It appreciated the progress made by Kiribati in the areas of drinking water and sanitation, as well as its accession to the Convention against Torture. It further noted the country’s National Disability Policy, Reproductive, and Maternal Health Programme. 7